Black Sea Region Of Turkey Research Articles

Investigating the hepatoprotective and antidiabetic properties of cryogenically pulverized Turkish propolis water extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Diabetes is a major global health crisis, affecting millions of people worldwide and necessitating the search for effective and safe treatments, leading to various complications, including liver damage. This study investigated the hepatoprotective and antidiabetic properties of cryogenically pulverized Turkish propolis water extracts (WBTP) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.Propolis samples were collected from the West Black Sea Region of Turkey and prepared as -80 °C (PP-80) and -196 °C (PP-196) water extracts. Thirty male Wistar albino rats were divided into five groups: normal control, diabetic control, diabetic + PP-80 (250 mg/kg), diabetic + PP-196 (250 mg/kg), and diabetic + metformin (250 mg/kg). After 35 days of treatment, various parameters were evaluated, including body weight, blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), serum biochemistry, antioxidant enzyme activities, and histopathology of the pancreas.The results showed that WBTP extracts, especially PP-80, significantly improved body weight and reduced blood glucose and HbA1c levels. Analysis of lipid profiles revealed improvements in HDL, LDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels with WBTP treatment. The antioxidant defense systems were also enhanced in the WBTP-treated groups. Histopathological examination revealed that WBTP extracts mitigated pancreatic tissue damage in the diabetic rats.In conclusion, the WBTP extracts possess hepatoprotective and antidiabetic properties, suggesting a promising avenue for further research. It emphasizes the importance of addressing both diabetes and hepatopathologies concurrently and highlights WBTP extracts as natural and potentially safer alternatives to synthetic antidiabetic drugs. Specifically, PP-80 extracts demonstrate robust effects in managing diabetes and associated liver complications in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, indicating their therapeutic potential.

The Effect of Concept Map-Based Education Given to Nursing Students on Medication Administration Self-Efficacy in Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This study was conducted as a control group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study between February 2024 and May 2024 with a total of 140 nursing students in the 3rd and 4th grades at a nursing school in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey. This study was conducted as a control group, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study between February 2024 and May 2024 with a total of 140 nursing students in the 3rd and 4th grades at a nursing school in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey. Data were collected as pre-test and post-test using the “Introductory Information Form”, “Self-Efficacy Scale for Medication Administration in Children for Nursing Students” and “Scale for the Effectiveness of Concept Maps in Nursing Education ”. The nursing students in the training group (n=70) were given face-to-face training on drug administration in children based on concept mapping in the form of a powerpoint presentation in 4 sessions once a week. Nursing students in the control group (n=70) were not given any training. Chi-square, dependent sample t test and independent sample t test were used to analyze the data. In the post-test, nursing students in the training group had significantly higher scores on the Self-Efficacy Scale for Medication Administration in Children and the Effectiveness of Concept Mapping in Nursing Education Scale compared to the control group. It was found that the concept map-based education given to nursing students had positive effects on increasing the level of medication administration self-efficacy in children.

Investigating seasonal variation in the phytochemical and antioxidant capacities of different Sphagnum taxa

This study investigated the phytochemical content and antioxidant activities of four Sphagnum taxa (S. centrale, S. palustre, S. teres and, S. auriculatum) collected from the Black Sea region of Turkey during two different seasons. The phytochemical groups in the methanol extracts of Sphagnum taxa were identified using qualitative screening methods. The total phenol content of these taxa was quantitatively determined using Folin-ciocalteu reagent with gallic acid equivalents as the standard their antioxidant activities were evaluated by 1,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging ability (DPPH), the CUPRAC test, and phosphomolybdenum assay. Qualitative phytochemical screening of the methanol extracts showed that phenols, tannins, and saponins were present in the extracts, whereas alkaloids and flavonoids were absent. The highest DPPH free radical scavenging activity was observed in 100 µgmL-1 S. teres methanol extract (74.47±0.001% in the first season, September 2021 and 75.37±0.002% in the second season, May 2022). The highest total antioxidant capacity was found in 100 µgmL-1 S. palustre extract (81.00±0.027% in the first season and 84.87±0.002% in the second season). The results of our experiment showed that Sphagnum taxa collected in spring had higher antioxidant activity than those collected in autumn.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Admitted to a Tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Western Black Sea Region of Turkey

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Admitted to a Tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Western Black Sea Region of Turkey

Evolving Trends in Pediatric Allergic Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study Over 20 Years in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey.

Background: In the past two decades, the prevalence of asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis has increased among school-aged children in the Central Black Sea region of Turkey. This increase is consistent with national and international data, reflecting the impact and temporal changes of allergic diseases on the community. A similar increasing trend is also observed worldwide. This study aims to contribute to the development of health policies related to allergic diseases among Turkish children in the Central Black Sea region. Materials and Methods: This study compares the results of two cross-sectional surveys conducted in schools in and around Samsun, Turkey, between the years 2006 and 2022, examining changes in the prevalence of specific allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema. Utilizing the Turkish translation of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood protocol, the research encompassed a total of 1,310 and 3,219 children, respectively. Results: In the recent study conducted in 2022, the prevalence of asthma and allergic bronchitis diagnosed by physicians was found to be 10.5% and 4.6%, respectively. In addition, the prevalence of allergic rhinitis was determined to be 3.1% and the prevalence of atopic dermatitis was 2.5%. Moreover, previously unidentified rates of food allergy were determined to be 2.5%, and drug allergy was found to be 2.4%. Furthermore, a comparison with a cross-sectional study conducted in the same region 20 years ago revealed a statistically significant increase in the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma and allergic bronchitis (with P-values of 0.0375 and 0.0107, respectively). Discussion: The findings of this study suggest a similar trend of increasing prevalence of allergic diseases when compared with similar studies at national and global levels. Consistent with trends identified in the international literature, Turkey is also affected by the rising prevalence of allergic diseases.

Long-term follow-up results and visual outcomes of childhood glaucoma in the black sea region of turkey.

To investigate long-term visual outcomes and factors associated with low vision in patients with childhood glaucoma. A retrospective review was conducted on the medical records of pediatric glaucoma patients at the Ondokuz Mayıs University Ophthalmology Clinic from 2005 to 2023. The patients were categorized into three groups: primary congenital glaucoma (PCG), secondary childhood glaucoma, and glaucoma following cataract surgery (GFCS). Groups were analyzed regarding visual acuity (VA), ocular conditions and comorbidities, and the cause of visual impairment. The study also investigated the potential risk factors associated with visual impairment. A total of 105 eyes of 60 patients with a mean age of 9.7 ± 5.5years were included in the study. The mean VA in logMAR was 0.59 ± 0.52. At the final follow-up, 34.1% had good VA (≥ 20/50), 29.5% had moderate VA (20/50-20/200), and 36.4% had poor VA (< 20/200). The final mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 16.2 ± 6.2mmHg. Amblyopia was the leading cause of vision loss (38.2%), followed by glaucomatous damage (36.4%). Patients with GFCS had a higher rate of visual impairment (42.4%) and refractive error. The results of the regression analysis showed that low vision was associated with undergoing more than two surgeries, high IOP at baseline, high initial and final cup-to-disc (C/D) ratio, and high initial central corneal thickness (CCT) (CI 95%, p = 0.018, p= 0.017, p = 0.013, p = 0.003, p = 0.001, respectively). Good VA can be achieved in 34.1% of childhood glaucoma cases. However, the VA prognosis may be worse in patients with GFCS. Achieving good visual outcomes in childhood glaucoma requires timely and effective treatment, consideration of risk factors, and management of amblyopia and ocular comorbidities.

Changes in Soil Total and Microbial Biomass Nitrogen in Deforested and Eroded Areas in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey

Changes in Soil Total and Microbial Biomass Nitrogen in Deforested and Eroded Areas in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey

Ritual, Risk, and Danger: Avoidance Rituals among Antiquity Looters

This paper deals with the role of taboos and avoidance rituals as a means of psycho-cultural adaptation to taking personal risks among illicit antiquity looters in the Black Sea region of Turkey. My ethnographic fieldwork showed that antiquity looters indeed cared more about the possibility of being crushed by spiritual creatures than of being caught by law enforcement. Spiritual creatures, namely jinn, are the most unpredictable threats imagined by illicit antiquity looters. They force looters to perform rituals to mitigate the perceived danger, including temporary or permanent loss of sanity, loss of limb, or loss of life. The paper concludes that looters’ avoidance rituals play a functional role rather than a rational one, and they are performed to show that looters are willing to get along with a spiritual environment beyond their control.

Comparative Analysis of Frequency Ratio, Logistic Regression and Deep Learning Methods for Landslide Susceptibility Mapping in Tokat Province on the North Anatolian Fault Zone (Turkey)

In the current investigation, a Geographic Information System (GIS) and machine learning-based software were employed to generate and compare landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) for the city center of Tokat, which is situated within the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) in the Central Black Sea Region of Turkey, covering an area of approximately 2003 km2. 294 landslides were identified within the study area, with 258 (70%) randomly selected for modeling and the remaining 36 (30%) used for model validation. Three distinct methodologies were used to generate LSMs, namely Frequency Ratio (FR), Logistic Regression (LR), and Deep Learning (DL), using nine parameters, including slope, aspect, curvature, elevation, lithology, rainfall, distance to fault, distance to road, and distance to stream. The susceptibility maps produced in this study were categorized into five classes based on the level of susceptibility, ranging from very low to very high. This study used the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC), overall accuracy, and precision methods to validate the results of the generated LSMs and compare and evaluate the performance. DL outperformed all validation methods compared to the others. Finally, it is concluded that the generated LSMs will assist decision-makers in mitigating the damage caused by landslides in the study area.

The relationship between self-efficacy and emotional burnout levels of seafarers: the role of individual alienation – the case of Turkey

PurposeThe study aims to examine the factors that may affect the burnout levels of ship workers.Design/methodology/approachThe scope of the research consists of seafarers on ships docking at the ports of Zonguldak, Karadeniz Eregli, Eren and Filyos in the Western Black Sea region of Turkey. The sample consists of officers, engineers, dynamic position operators, electricians, boatswains, able seamans, pumpmans and stewards working on ships. In this respect, a random questionnaire was used in the research method and a questionnaire was sent to 400 of these employees, representing the main sample, and 263 of them fully answered the online questionnaire.FindingsAs a result of the research, first of all, it is seen that the increase in the self-efficacy of the seafarers decreases their emotional burnout levels. In the second step, the strong self-efficacy of the seafarers reduced the level of individual alienation. In the third step, the increase in the individual alienation of the ship workers also caused an increase in the levels of emotional exhaustion.Originality/valueAs a result, it has been seen that there is a partial mediating role of individual alienation in the relationship between the self-efficacy of the seafarers and their emotional exhaustion. In other words, high self-efficacy is not the only reason for the decrease in emotional burnout levels among seafarers. At the same time, self-efficacy has an effect on the individual alienation levels of seafarers.

Environmental Factors Structuring Diatom Diversity of the Protected High Mountain Lakes in the Kaçkar Mountains National Park (Rize, Turkey)

The altitude of the habitat is one of the important regulators of species survival. Kaçkar Mountains National Park is located in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. This is the first study on the benthic diatom flora of the high mountain lakes in Kaçkar Mountains National Park, which is situated between 2782 and 3075 m a.s.l. A total of 84 diatom species were identified from benthic communities of 15 habitats in summer (19 July, 28 August) and autumn (10 September) months of 2020. The genus Pinnularia (thirteen species) formed the basis of the taxonomic list, followed by Eunotia (five species), Navicula (five species), and Frustulia (four species) genera, respectively. The waters in all the studied lakes were fresh, low-saline, with low-alkaline or circumneutral pH and organically uncontaminated, as evidenced by prevailed bioindicator groups. Statistical methods and comparative floristic results confirm the role of the lake altitude for the diatom species distribution. The species richness of the studied lakes was higher in lakes with lower altitudes. The statistical approach also revealed the potential for an increase in the number of species in high mountain lakes if the study of the diatom flora of the Kachkar Mountains National Park is continued and the species composition of the lakes is replenished. Further studies will be needed to continue exploring this pattern. To protect studied high mountain lakes, their ecological conditions must be constantly monitored in the Kaçkar Mountains National Park.

Evaluation of the disaster preparedness level of a flood-affected hospital: Turkey

This study aimed to evaluate the disaster preparedness levels of a hospital and its personnel who were exposed to flood disasters in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. The study was designed qualitatively. Since it was aimed to obtain in-depth information, the phenomenology design was used in the study. The data were collected from 15 people through face-to-face interviews with a semi-structured interview form. The data were computerized to the MAXQDA 22 software and codes, categories, and themes were created. In the study, three themes were created: "infrastructure management and sustainability of critical facilities, preparation, and health service delivery". It was determined that infrastructure problems arose due to flooding on the lower floor and the hospital's garden as a result of the flood disaster. It was observed that medical equipment was prepared before the flood disaster and equity resources were protected after the disaster. It is thought that the exercise, trainings, creation of early warning systems and planning before the flood disaster will contribute significantly to the sustainability of health service provision in disaster situations. This may accelerate the transition of disaster victims to their normal lives.

Gender disparities in Behçet's syndrome: identifying distinct phenotypes through cluster analysis.

Behçet's syndrome (BS) is a complex, multi-systemic disorder with a global occurrence, notably concentrated along the Silk Road. This study aimed to investigate gender-specific expressions and clinical phenotypes in BS patients within the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. A total of 290 BS patients were retrospectively analyzed between January 2013 and December 2023. Demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, medical treatment, and pathergy test results were obtained from a review of medical records. The mean age was 45.79 ± 13.05, with a male-to-female ratio of 48.6:51.4. Male patients had higher papulopustular lesions (p < 0.001) and ocular involvement (p = 0.036), while females showed more frequent genital ulcers (p = 0.032). Medication usage showed gender-based variations, notably higher corticosteroid, azathioprine, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor (TNFi) use in males (p < 0.001). Cluster analysis revealed five distinct clusters, each with unique features and gender predominance. Cardiovascular type, ocular type, and skin type predominantly featured male patients, while joint involvement type and neurologic and mucosal involvement type were more prevalent among female patients with BS. This research contributes valuable insights into the gender-related clinical variations of BS within a specific geographic region, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of this challenging syndrome. The identification of distinct clinical phenotypes facilitates the development of tailored treatment strategies, potentially leading to improved outcomes for patients with BS.

Evaluation of foreign national cases applied to Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University Hospital Forensic Medicine Department, 2014–2022

Introduction/aimTurkey has experienced a heavy migration burden in recent years due to its location and benevolent policies. This study aimed to retrospectively examine and discuss the reports prepared for foreign nationals who requested assistance at the Forensic Medicine Department of Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Hospital in Tokat, which is located in the Middle Black Sea Region of Turkey, between 2014 and 2022.Materials and methodsThis study retrospectively evaluated reports prepared between 2014 and 2022 in the outpatient clinics of Forensic Medicine at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Hospital.ResultsBased on the files reviewed, 219 cases were included in the study, of which 70.8% (n = 155) were male and 29.2% (n = 64) were female. Among the 75 cases referred by judicial authorities, 34.6% (n = 26) involved assault, 28% (n = 21) involved determination of the ability to understand the legal significance and consequences of the act, 16% (n = 12) involved traffic accidents, 8% (n = 6) involved poisoning, 9.3% (n = 7) involved abuse, and 4% (n = 3) involved age determinations.DiscussionProblems with immigrants, which have always been a reality due to Turkey’s location on migration routes, have increased significantly in recent years. For this reason, we believe that studies with multicenter and larger series should be conducted to determine the current situation that foreigners create for themselves and Turkey to facilitate necessary arrangements, determine proposed solutions, increase the quality of services offered, and develop plans for the future.

Social Studies Teacher Candidates’ Views on Blended Learning Process

The aim of this study is to present the views of social studies teacher candidates about the blended learning process in the context of face-to-face and distance education. The study adopted a case study design. The study determined participants using the criterion sampling. The criteria in selecting participants was that teacher candidates should have experience in face-to-face education, online education, and blended learning. The participants consisted of 70 teacher candidates studying in the third and fourth year of the Social Studies Education Department of a state university in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey during the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. 42 of the participants were female and 28 were male. An open-ended questionnaire with nine questions was used as a data collection tool. The data were collected in an electronic environment and analyzed by content analysis. It was concluded from the study that blended learning can offer solutions to the problems arising from the characteristics of face-to-face education and distance education, blended learning practices have not yet been implemented in the quality specified in the theoretical framework, teacher candidates have mostly negative opinions about distance education practices, while mostly positive opinions about face-to-face education come to the fore.

BREASTFEEDING ATTITUDES AND EXPERIENCES OF BREASTFEEDING WOMEN INFECTED WITH COVID-19: A MIXED METHODS STUDY

Aim: The aim of this study was to learn more about the attitudes and experiences of breastfeeding women infected with COVID-19. Method: A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to conduct the study. The study included breastfeeding women who presented COVID-19 symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19, and who sought care at a community health center in a province located in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Quantitative and qualitative data for the study were collected online between July 2021 and February 2022. Data for the study were collected using the 'Socio-demographic Information Form', the 'Breastfeeding Attitude Scale' and the 'Semi-structured Interview Form'. Data were collected from 82 women for the quantitative part and seven women for the qualitative part. Before the research began, study approval was obtained from the TR Ministry of Health and ethical approval was granted by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Ondokuz Mayıs University (25 June 2021/ OMU KAEK2021/316). Results: The number of children, age of the baby, breastfeeding initiation and nutritional status of the baby were found to influence breastfeeding attitudes. The overall mean score of the breastfeeding attitude rating scale was 91.7710.63. Five themes were identified as a result of the content analysis: "Women's feelings during the disease," "How the disease affects the babies," "Woman-baby contact," "COVID -19 and breastfeeding," and "Status of support for women".Conclusions and Suggestions: It was found that women's attitudes towards breastfeeding during the disease process are moderate, that they experience considerable anxiety during this time, and that the support they receive affects both their psychological state and their attitudes towards breastfeeding. During this process, continuous online or phone support may improve women's attitudes towards breastfeeding.

Sustainable Afforestation Strategies: Hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Model in Post-Mining Rehabilitation

This article describes an effective approach for selecting suitable plant species for afforestation in post-mining rehabilitation. The research was conducted in the Western Black Sea region of Turkey. The aim of the research is to perform accurate criteria weighting and species prioritization for afforestation in post-mining degraded areas. This helps to ensure consistent conditions for the future use of the site as a forest, sustainability of nature, and selection of appropriate species adapted to the difficult post-mining conditions. In this study, which is a multi-criteria decision-making problem (MCDM), the weights of the criteria were determined by stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA), and the priority ranking of the species was determined by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Analyses were carried out with 10 afforestation criteria and five tree species. According to the analysis, the top three ranked criteria are Economic Efficiency &gt; Carbon Stock and Credit &gt; Reducing Afforestation Cost. The five species’ priority ranking is Robinia pseudoacacia L. (0.456) &gt; Alnus glutinosa subsp. glutinosa (0.248) &gt; Populus nigra subsp. nigra (0.146) &gt; Salix alba L. (0.103) &gt; Quercus robur subs. robur (0.048). The hybrid approach is expected to increase the effectiveness of post-mining rehabilitation works.

Assessment of flood risk in Söğütlü stream watershed of Trabzon province in Turkey using geographic information systems and analytic hierarchy process approach

Floods are significant natural disasters that have wide-ranging social, economic, and environmental consequences on a global scale. They lead to land degradation and increased erosion, which in turn negatively impacts water quality. In the present study, the Söğütlü stream watershed in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey was chosen as the study area to create a flood risk map using Analytical Hierarchy Process and Weighted Overlay tools in the ArcGIS. The raster maps, including soil type, rainfall, landuse, slope, aspect, elevation, and distance to the stream, were utilized as the foundation for the analysis. The flood risk map generated from this analysis reveals five risk zones that is very high, high, moderate, low, and very low-risk zones. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the obtained data. The study results indicate that low and moderate areas encompass 95.98% of the watershed, while high-risk and very high-risk areas account for 4.02% of the watershed in the flood risk map of the Söğütlü watershed. It was observed that areas in close proximity to rivers, low slope end elevation were more susceptible to flooding. This study is great importance as it allows for the development of preventive, preparatory, and post-disaster plans before flood events occur by providing a flood risk map. Moreover, the creation of a flood risk map at the watershed scale helps planners in undertaking soil and water conservation efforts during watershed planning.

Statistical analysis of flood risk perception: a case study for Eastern Black Sea Basin, Turkey

It is very essential in terms of flood risk management to consider social expectations such as risk perception, flood awareness, preparedness, and socio-economic dynamics together with engineering designs. Understanding the way people perceive flood risk can enhance our capability of improving existing flood risk management methods, thus helps us creating disaster resilient societies. In this study, results of a questionnaire which was used for a previous study and had been administered to participants from Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey were further investigated using statistical methods. The main aim was to understand how demographic factors such as age, gender and education level affect people’s flood risk perception. It was also desired to see that whether they were aware of the parties responsible for taking mitigation measures, or whether they know about possible flood mitigation measures or not. Using the same data with the previous study, but in addition using SPSS software to do statistical analysis, questionnaire results were investigated using convenient statistical tests for each parameter, analysis results were interpreted, and conclusions were drawn. Same tests were conducted using weight coefficients adopted using a certain methodology which is explained in the paper, in order to make a better investigation. Also, results were compared with the results of the previous study. It was seen that there were some consistencies and contradictions between the results of the previous study and this study’s results.

Determination of future creep and seismic behaviors of dams using 3D analyses validated by long-term levelling measurements

This study aims to assess the future structural performance of the Kozlu-Ulutan clay core rockfill (CCR) dam, one of the most significant water structures in the Black Sea region of Turkey, by utilizing 35 years of levelling measurements and 3D finite-difference analyses. Settlement measurements were obtained from five different points on the dam surface every 6 months. Subsequently, a three-dimensional (3D) model of the dam was created using the finite-difference method. Time-dependent creep analyses and seismic analyses were conducted sequentially, employing the Burger-Creep and Mohr–Coulomb material models, respectively. Non-reflecting boundary conditions were defined for the boundaries of the dam model. The 3D numerical analysis results were found to be highly compatible with the 35 years of levelling measurements. Additionally, the future seepage and settlement behaviors of the dam over a 100-year period (2023–2123) were analyzed, considering special time functions. Current and future seismic analyses were performed, taking into account the settlement results of the dam in 2023 and 2123. For seismic analyses, data from ten various earthquakes that occurred in Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Malatya, and Gaziantep in Turkey in 2023 were utilized. The seismic analysis results provided significant information about the future seismic behavior of the Kozlu-Ulutan Dam, revealing notable differences between the current and future earthquake behaviors of the dam. Moreover, it was concluded that the clay core is the most crucial section concerning the current and future seismic behaviors of CCR dams. The study results emphasized the importance of continuous monitoring and periodic seismic evaluations for the safe operation of CCR dams.